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I have been fortunate to be in the business of retirement plans for quite some time. It has been long enough for me to appreciate a good thing when it comes along. The NIPA Annual Forum & Expo (NAFE) is what I consider the premier event for continuing education and professional networking in the industry. The 2011NAFE will be no exception.

The NAFE program is put together by a diverse group of professionals who are making sure the conference covers the needs of TPAs, advisors and vendors, but even more importantly, the NAFE is rooted in the idea that "bigger is not always better." It has the size required to attract our industry leaders as speakers, and allows us to bring in IRS and Department of Labor experts, as well. However, it is not so large that you are lost in the crowd.

I'll admit that when I first started attending the annual conferences it was mostly for the continuing education credits I needed to maintain my designations, but after the first couple of conferences, the additional opportunities that the NAFE presented beyond education became apparent. I could easily approach the speakers, both private and governmental, with issues of my own that may not have been part of the actual program. I was able to network with groups of peers from around the country. I enjoyed being involved with NIPA as a volunteer on educational committees and the conference itself. And finally, I was given an opportunity to interface with many of the vendors and service providers that structure the framework in which our industry operates.

The vendors and service providers that come to these events are the backbone of our industry. Not only do they have the products we all use in our jobs, but they actually make the NAFE possible. In fact, for the 2011NAFE, there will be a new feature introduced to showcase many of these providers. For the first time, there will be "vendor breakout" sessions that will allow providers the opportunity to reach a wider audience with highlights of their services and new products without having to worry about doing it in just a few minutes. This enhancement should benefit both the vendors and the attendees.

With general sessions on the Economic Outlook, a Washington Update and Behavioral Finance and even an ERISA Jeopardy session combined with an "Ask the Experts" opportunity, you can't go wrong.

Register online and reserve your hotel by March 25 and you'll be entered into a drawing to win one of five free NAFE nights at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino!